Parents say their dance team kids are being bullied by coaches

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»Play VideoAmy Colvin says she believes the dance team coaches at Oregon City High School are bullying the girls on the team.

OREGON CITY, Ore. – Some high school dance team members are wanting to quit, others are getting suspended and parents say the girls are being bullied.

But school officials at Oregon City High School say that's not the case.

The dance team has a new coaching staff this year. They suspended two of the team's captains because of their attitudes, parents said.

School officials couldn't make public the details about the discipline, but it made parents mad enough to complain.

"I really do believe that those coaches have been bullying our girls," said Amy Colvin, who said dance team members all too often would finish their practice in tears.

"We implemented a parent at every practice policy because our girls were coming home crying because the coaches were so mean," she said.

According to parents, there was a lot of yelling by the coaches and a lot of profanity used toward the kids.

"In my estimation that is wrong," said Oregon City High Principal Nancy Bush-Lange after Wednesday night's basketball playoff game. "However, there were allegations made, so we investigated thoroughly the whole situation. We would not keep our coaches if we felt there was any impropriety, and we think there is none. So we’re moving forward."

A reporter wasn't allowed to talk to any of the coaches on the dance team during practice and was told it was a closed practice.

While the practice was closed to the media, it was also closed to dance team members' parents. Colvin and other parents think that's payback for complaining.

The decision was made the day after the parents talked with administrators.

"Practices have always been closed," said Bush-Lange. "If you go to any sports practice, they're closed for practice purposes, because parents can be distracting to their players or to their dancers or whatever, so they're typically always closed."

"We don't trust the administration," said Colvin. "I trust the other parents on the team. And if another parent was there, I'd be fine with letting my daughter be there. I don't trust the administration."

Some team members stayed away from Wednesday night’'s practice in protest. They were told if they weren't at practice Wednesday, they wouldn't be able to be in a competition this Saturday. And if they wanted to compete at state in two weeks, they need to be at practice Monday.

The girls' parents contacted us about what happened. If there's something you want us to look into, you can email us at newstips@katu.com.